Association of the Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholars of the Philippines

Its Beginning

In 1983, the first batch of Hanns Seidel Foundation scholars composed of young professionals in different fields of expertise left for Munich, Germany, for two-year further training programs. This was succeeded by several more batches in the following years.

In 1992, "Hannsi Klub" was established by the alumni during the first Nachkontaktkonferenz (Follow-up Contact Conference) held in the Philippines. The primary objective of the association was for the group of alumni to remain in contact with each other and to keep alive the memories and experiences in Germany. The alumni also wanted to maintain and strengthen their contact to Germany and to the Foundation.

The name "Hannsi Klub" was later changed to "Association of Hanns Seidel Foundation Scholars of the Philippines (AHSFSPI)" which was incorporated on January 30, 2002.

A selection of its past activities

Scholarships

The Association provided financial support for the education and training of a number of out-of-school youth through vocational schools. Members of the Education Committee helped a selected group of deserving out-of-school youth to take up vocational training in Basic Electrical Installation/Mechanical Benchwork.

Donations

The Association facilitated the collection of t-shirts through solicitations and donated them to the Department of Social Welfare & Development for distribution to the needy. It also donated books (set of encyclopedias) to a public school.

Outreach

After the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, the Association, then called Hannsi Klub, solicited canned goods, rice, sugar, medicine and used clothing, and distributed these relief goods to the affected families in one of the evacuation centers.

HSS-Alumni Networking

The Association assisted their fellow scholars in Korea and in Indonesia in establishing their respective alumni associations. A group of AHSFSPI Officers flew to Seoul, Korea, upon the invitation of HSF Korea, to assist the HSS alumni from Korea organise their alumni association. In 2004, another group went to Jakarta, Indonesia to, likewise, provide assistance to the HSS alumni from Indonesia to organise their alumni association.

Fund Raising

The Association raised funds by organising a musical presentation participated in by different chorale groups and held at the Philam Life Auditorium in Manila. This was the first major event that the Association undertook. The event was also participated in by the world-reknown University of the Philippines Madrigal Singers (UPMS).

Conferences and Fora on Dual Vocational Training

Various conferences and fora were organised by the Association on the topic of “Dual Vocational Training in Germany and in the Philippines.” These helped to promote the German dual vocational training system as a means to help alleviate poverty through education which combines academic and skills training, thus increasing the chances for the development of a qualified workforce that meets the needs of the labour market, i.e. the enterprises and employers. The DTS is an alternative instructional delivery system, which is the backbone of the vocational and professional training system in Germany.

Support for Education

Through the Association, the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) provided support to help equip the science laboratory of the Escuela de San Dionisio (EDSD) with the necessary laboratory equipment and paraphernalia. Last November 2010, Prof. Hans-Peter Niedermeier Head of the Scholarship Organisation of the Hanns-Seidel-Stiftung, e.V. in Munich, Germany, was in the country to attend the Association’s Nachkontaktkonferenz 2010. He also visited the EDSD with some AHSFSPI members and conveyed the positive response, that the request for support submitted to the Foundation by AHSFSPI Member Dr. Efrain E. Abracia had been granted.

Forum on National Security

The Association invited resource speakers, including an executive of ABS-CBN News and representatives of the Philippine Public Safety Sector, to speak on national security.

Joint Alumni Activity Forum

Together with other alumni organizations and German institutions, the Association organised a forum on climate change. Co-funded and co-organised by the Hanns Seidel Foundation/Germany (HSF) and by the University of Makati (UMak), with the federation of alumni groups of former scholars to Germany, and held in co-operation with the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI), the forum had a roster of speakers who included representatives from the academe, the industry and the government, together with experts in the field, most of whom are former scholars to Germany. The forum was attended by members of the academe, students and professionals alike.

AHSFSPI today

The association to date has more than 60 members, some of whom are currently residing abroad. Membership continues to grow as more scholars complete their further studies, funded by HSF in Germany.

Practically every year, representatives of the scholarship division of the Head Office of HSF in Munich, Germany, Prof. Hans-Peter Niedermeier or Dr. Michael Czepalla, the Head of Scholarship for Foreign Scientists and Postgraduates, visit the country to further nurture links with the local educational institutions and attend the Association’s Nachkontaktkonferenz. Occasionally, high-ranking executives of the Head Office of HSF who come to the Philippines for official visits also meet with the alumni to discuss economic, political and social issues.